Chapter 13 Summary

The newlyweds take their morning stroll, walking past an ice rink. They run into another Russian couple, the Alfyorovs, and exchange brief pleasantries. Deciding to take a different route than usual, the couple passes a former residence of Luzhin's father. The wife questions Luzhin about his father's estate and is saddened when he replies with vague disinterest. She suggests that they visit his father's grave, but Luzhin complains that it is cold and far.

The winter weather worsens. Fortunately, the Luzhin apartment has central heating. The in-laws visit as Luzhin tries his hand at sketching. Though he has paints, he finds that he has little talent with them. They tend to be messy, sloppy and easily ruined. Luzhin prefer the clean line of drawing, though, this too, he has little talent for beyond drawing simple, geometric shapes.

While Luzhin looks for thumbtacks to...